Jennifer Brown, DVM, DACVS

In 2007, Dr. Brown became an official member of MD TF-1 as the team veterinarian. As the team veterinarian, she developed regular lectures and laboratories for handlers on different aspects of canine emergency care. These lectures serve to prepare handlers in first aid with the specific goal of assessing and treating injuries in their K-9 partners, when veterinary care is not immediately accessible. In 2009, she passed her Certification Evaluation with her Labrador Retriever, Phanesse. After relocating to Florida in 2010 she transferred to Florida Task Force-2 where she now serves as a Canine Search Specialist and Team Veterinarian. Dr. Brown serves as a national cadre instructor for the FEMA US&R Medical Team Training Canine Care. As a member of VMAT-2, Dr. Brown became involved with canine Urban Search and Rescue when deployed to Mississippi and Louisiana for 5 weeks following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She began training with Maryland Task Force-1 (MD TF-1) in 2006, both to train in search and rescue techniques and to gain more insight into the medical needs of Urban Search and Rescue dogs. A 1999 graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Brown continued to a residency in equine surgery at Michigan State University. She became a board-certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2004. She currently is working in small animal practice in Tampa, Florida as well as doing equine relief work in the area. Dr. Brown is also an active member of the AVMA VMAT-2, Florida State Animal Response Team, and Florida Veterinary Response Corp. In 2008 she was appointed to the AVMA Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues.

Scot Mason, DVM, EMT

Dr. Mason first became involved with search and rescue following the bombing of the Alfred Murrah building in Oklahoma City in 1995. He provided medical care for the search and rescue canines and helped coordinate veterinary volunteers at the site. Since that time, Dr. Mason has been quite active in the disaster response, public health and homeland security fields. He has been a member of Oklahoma Task Force -1 US&R since it was created and serves as canine medical field support. Dr. Mason is a member of the National Disaster Medical System National Veterinary Response Team and has served the role of Region VI Coordinator. He is also a member of the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corp, the Oklahoma MRC State Animal Response Team and the Oklahoma Homeland Security Council. He has previously served as the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, the Program Coordinator for the Oklahoma MRC State Animal Response Team, the chair for the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues as well as the co- chair for the best medical practices working group for the National Alliance of State Agriculture and Animal Emergency Programs. He has presented at numerous national and local conferences and created several documents related to disaster preparedness and response activities. He currently teaches operational canine medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University and has taught animal emergency preparedness at Oklahoma State University – OKC and served as a Medical Specialist Instructor for a private emergency response training company. He has been deployed both with OKTF-1 and NVRT to numerous events both within the State of Oklahoma and nationally. His most recent deployments were with OKTF-1 for the tornado event response in El Reno, Oklahoma and with NVRT he was the lead Federal field veterinarian for the support of the operational canines at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Mason received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Oklahoma State University in 1991. After spending a year as an associate in another practice he joined the staff of Putnam North Animal Hospital in Oklahoma City and has owned the practice since 1994. He received his certification as an Emergency Medical Technician – Basic in 2008 and has a strong interest in Canine Tactical Emergency Casualty Care.

Matt Haywood, EMTP, Battalion Chief (Ret.)

In 2017, Matt retired after 33 years of service with Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue in Florida. He worked through the ranks holding the positions of Firefighter, Driver, Medic, Lieutenant, Special Response Team Lieutenant, EMS Captain and Battalion Chief. Matt’s love of training led him to organize training programs not only for his department, but other departments to include Palm Beach State College, teaching specialized courses in Rope, Confined, Trench, Structural Collapse Rescue, Paramedic, ACLS and PALS instructor courses. Matt was one of the founding members of the department’s SWAT Medic program, where he served with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department for 21 years as an Entry Medic, Sniper and Dignitary Protection Team member. His passion for training led him to organize and provide tactical medical, K-9 medical, and firearms training to the department and other surrounding agencies. Matt’s experience in dive rescue and interest in dive medicine led him to 19 years of service in the Hyperbaric Medicine department at St. Mary’s Medical center in West Palm Beach Florida. During his last nine years, he was the department’s safety director, overseeing the departments treatment and safety procedures as well as training new team members. He also delivered hyperbaric training and lectures to other hospital staff and local fire rescue agencies though a community outreach program. In 2004 Matt became a member of the Department of Homeland Security FEMA’s South Florida Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Force (FL-TF2), where he served as a Rescue Specialist, Haz-Mat Specialist and Medical Specialist. Matt has responded with USAR to several challenging deployments which include Hurricane Katrina (Mississippi and New Orleans), the 2010 Haiti earthquakes, Hurricane Irma (Florida Keys) and several other smaller responses.

Carson Chinn, CSS

Carson is a certified FEMA US&R Canine Search Specialist and a Task Force Member with State of Georgia Search and Rescue. Carson serves as an instructor in canine medical care for tactical and search team members throughout the country. He is presently serving as the Assistant K9 Coordinator for GSAR-K9 and GBRT-K9. He completed work as a Rescue Specialist with GEMA and serves as a volunteer firefighter with Dowson County, GA. Carson has been involved in the response industry since 2005 and has been the Director of Marketing & Sales with FERNO Military/Aviation for 14 years.